Albertas

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• Albertas
• Master Electrician Program

IN MOTION
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Our Vision

• A few months ago the ECAA in partnership with AMA
  presented Master Electricians with our vision for
  an enhanced Master Electrician Program in
  Alberta.
• We said
• Electrical safety can be best achieved through
  well-prepared electricians who are responsible
  for their work in an environment that embraces a
  comprehensive support and enforcement system.

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Our Vision

• Using diagrams, we presented 3 program
  components that provide the foundation for an
  improved Master Electrician Program.
• Competency,
• Accountability / Responsibility, and
• Enforcement.

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Our Vision

• We expanded upon each of the 3 components and
  introduced the programs concepts of
• 2 Levels of Master Electricians,
• Certified (able to pull permits)
• Registered
• A Code of Ethics,
• Continuing Education, and
• A Self-Regulated Industry using the Professional
  and Occupational Associations Registration Act
  (POARA).

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Our Vision

• You supported our vision and showed great
  interest in an enhanced program by asking
  questions.
• Your questions helped us add more detail to our
  proposed Master Electrician Program.
• We are ready to share these details with you and
  put our vision .

in motion
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Vision in Motion

• Lets start by answering some of the fundamental
  questions
• What does the government see as the future of the
  Master Electrician Program?
• The program is seen as an excellent opportunity.
  If properly constructed and administered, the
  program has the potential to add significant
  value to the safety system through competency,
  accountability and enforcement.
• Will this program be self-sufficient or
  subsidized by the government?
• The program will be self-sufficient when it is
  up and running.
• How much longer is this going to take?
• If all regulatory criteria is met, our target
  date is January 1, 2008.

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Vision in Motion

• As an electrician, what happens if I dont become
  a Master?
• Everyone will be given a choice. You can stay
  an electrician if you decide not to become a
  Master.

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Vision in Motion

• From challenging the Masters exam to keeping your
  Masters certificate current, there are several
  stages in the Master Electrician Program.
• We organized your questions using the following
  stages
• Association
• Qualifications
• Entry Requirements
• On the Job
• Permits
• Cleaning up Deficiencies
• Keeping Current
• Other Questions

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Association

• What will be the role of the ECAA?
• To be a home through which the Masters
  Committee can be established. The ECAA has a
  proven track record with industry and already has
  many of the elements necessary to assist in the
  administration of the program.
• Do I need to be a member of the ECAA to be a
  Master Electrician?
• No you do not need to be a member of the ECAA to
  be a Master.
• How much is this going to cost me?
• Response under development.
• Is this association part of the government?
• No but the relationship connecting permits in
  legislation and Master Electricians will continue
  to exist.

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Association

• What is POARA?
• The Professional and Occupational Associations
  Registration Act. This Act provides associations
  with the exclusive use of a name identifying
  their profession/occupation.
• How is the Masters Program going to work?
• The POARA legislation sets out a framework to
  help Associations to be organized and prepared to
  manage their membership. A chart is provided in
  the next slide.

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Association
Board of Directors (ECAA)
Government
Masters Members
Chair
P.E.C. Members
Chair
Discipline
Practice Review
Registration
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Association

• Who gets to be on the Board and on the
  committees?
• Valid Certified and Registered Masters. That
  means potentially anyone could put their name
  forward. The committee members are voted on by
  the masters membership.
• What is the code of ethics?
• Initially the Masters code of ethics will use
  the P.E.C. code of ethics as a working model.
  Once the program is fully operational, the
  Masters code of ethics will be revisited and
  will have the opportunity to be amended.
• How will it be enforced?
• POARA defines complaint and discipline
  procedures. The Discipline Committee can receive
  complaints from anyone and has pre-determined
  steps to follow up on the complaint.
• What are the penalties?
• Fines, suspension, revocation or nothing.

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Association

• Who makes up the code of ethics?
• The Masters can amend their code of ethics and
  decide what they want it to include. The Masters
  will likely use the P.E.C. code of ethics as a
  model.
• What happens to my old Masters number?
• Existing Masters can keep their old numbers.
  All Masters will likely be issued a new
  certificate and wallet card.

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Qualifications

• What do I need to become a Certified Master
  Electrician?
• To be a journeymen electrician with 3 years of
  recent and verifiable experience working with the
  Canadian Electrical Code. Recent is defined as
  within the past 5 years.
• How long must I wait and what kind of experience
  will be required before I am eligible to write my
  Masters exam?
• Please refer to the answers to the previous
  question.
• Will Masters from other provinces get to be
  Masters in Alberta?
• Yes, as long as they meet the criteria.
• Do I need to be a PEC to be a Master
  Electrician?
• No.

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Entry Requirements

• What kind of exams will there be?
• Technical exams and the current Master
  Electrician exam with more emphasis on
  legislation.
• Will the existing Masters exam be changed?
• More emphasis will be put on legislation.
• Am I going to have to take many courses?
• Some courses will be required.
• If yes, what kind of courses will be required?
• It will continue to be optional to take the
  Masters course. It will be mandatory to take the
  ethics course, code upgrading every code cycle
  (likely just attendance will be required, no
  testing), and at least one registered course.
• What will the exams cover?
• Course material.

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Entry Requirements

• Will exams be challengeable?
• Yes

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On the Job

• When will a Master be needed?
• A Certified Master will be able to pull permits
  when a job requires a permit.
• Will I be accountable for each job I sign off on?
• Yes- 100 accountable.
• What does being accountable mean?
• Leaving the job in a safe condition.
• Will I have to be present at each job that I sign
  off on?
• You will have to be accountable for each job
  therefore some sort of quality management program
  may be necessary to accomplish this.

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On the Job

• If Masters are accountable for their work, will
  there still be inspections by Safety Codes
  Officers?
• Yes. Municipalities will still be responsible
  for public safety.
• Will my Masters be good in other provinces?
• Not at this time, but it is a future goal.

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On the Job

• Will I need liability insurance?
• It will be expected that Certified Master
  Electricians assume financial responsibility
  (either personal or through a company) for the
  jobs they pull permits for.
• What about contractors bonds and performance
  bonds?
• Bonds may be requested by clients but they are
  not part of our proposed program.
• Under what conditions do I lose my Masters?
• A written complaint must be received and
  investigated by the Discipline Committee in
  accordance with POARA legislation.

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On the Job

• Will Safety Codes Officers (SCOs) have to be
  Certified or Registered Masters?
• SCOs do not have to be Masters now and they will
  continue to be able to choose whether or not they
  want to be Masters under the proposed program.
• Will the relationship between a Master and a
  municipality change?
• The relationship will not formally change.
  Stronger lines of communication will likely be
  established and municipalities will continue to
  encourage Masters to take each job personally.

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Permits

• Can other people use my Masters certificate to
  take out permits?
• It depends on the situation. Every Certified
  Master is responsible and accountable for the
  permits they sign. If your name is on a permit,
  you are responsible for it.
• Can I sign permits for several companies?
• Yes but Certified Master Electricians are
  individually responsible for each permit.
• How will the permit issuer know if I have a valid
  Masters?
• An online database (POSSE) will provide the
  permit issuer with the necessary information
  regarding Certified Masters permit pulling
  privileges. Until such time that all
  municipalities have access to the data base, a
  web-based registry system will also be
  maintained.
• Will the cost of permit change?
• The proposed program will not affect the cost of
  permits. The cost of permits is set by the
  municipality or its agency.

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Cleaning Up Deficiencies

• Will I lose my Masters if I do not correct my
  deficiencies?
• Potentially. Uncorrected deficiencies would be
  reported to the discipline committee who would
  decide on the appropriate action to take.
• Can they take away my Electricians certificate?
• No.
• Will names be published of people who lose their
  Masters or are suspended?
• If it is within the Masters Associations legal
  right to do so.

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Cleaning Up Deficiencies

• If my Masters certificate is suspended, can I
  appeal the decision?
• Yes there will be an appeal process under POARA.
• What is this make safe process Ive heard
  about?
• The Masters Association, under the proposed
  program, compliments the existing safety system
  by looking after the people side of the safety
  equation. The Association would have the ability
  to fine a Master, take away their masters
  certificate and help ensure that no job is left
  in an unsafe condition.

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Continuing Education
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Other Questions

• Why would I become a Certified Master
  Electrician?
• To have permit pulling privileges.
• Whats the difference between a Registered and a
  Certified Master?
• The main difference is that a Registered Master
  does not have permit pulling privileges and a
  Certified Master does.
• Im a Master now, whats going to happen to me?
• - You can become a Certified Master (permit
  pulling privileges with recognized status and
  association benefits).
• -You can become a Registered Master (recognized
  status and association benefits).
• -You can participate in the electrical industry
  outside of the recognized Masters Associations
  membership.

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Other Questions

• Can I keep my Masters in abeyance?
• No, you can become a Registered Master.
• Will municipalities still issue orders to comply?
• Yes. The proposed program does not change the
  way in which safety codes officers enforce the
  Safety Codes Act.
• Why does the Masters regulation have to be
  included in the PEC regulation? Why dont we get
  our own?
• It could take up to 7 years to get new
  legislation created. Amending an existing
  regulation is the most expedient option.

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Other Questions

• Will there be even more changes to the program in
  the future?
• It will be up to the Masters decide if further
  changes to the program will be necessary.
• How will this affect accredited corporations?
• Accredited corporations are outside the permit
  system. However, they will be encouraged to use
  Certified Master Electricians.
• What do the municipalities think of this
  proposal?
• We have received a number of positive responses
  from municipalities to date.
• Will this create undue competition between
  agencies?
• The proposed program is not intended to effect
  competition. It is intended to be a tool
  available to agencies.

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Thank you

• Your continued interest and support are
  instrumental in keeping an enhanced Master
  Electrician Program in motion and putting it into
  action.
• Please submit more questions.
• We will post the answers to your questions on the
  ECAAs website and keep you updated with our
  progress.
• Please let us know if you support this enhanced
  master electrician program
• Do you feel that a Master Electrician should only
  be allowed to sign permits for one company.

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Thank you

• Albertas Master Electricians
• Taking each job personally,
• making each installation safe.
• http//www.ecaa.ab.ca
• Fax [phone]